First, it is a ration that, without waste, furnishes both in weight and bulk of dry matter a sufficient amount of digestible, nutritious food. Second, it is a ration that is comparatively cheap. Third, it is a ration in which the milk-forming food (protein) is rightly proportioned to the heat-making and fat-making food (carbohydrates and fat). Any ration in which this proportion is neglected is badly balanced. Now test one or two commonly used rations by these rules. Would a ration of cotton-seed meal and cotton-seed hulls be a model ration? No. Such a ration, since the seeds are grown at home, would be cheap enough. However, it is badly balanced, for it is too rich in protein; hence it is a wasteful ration. Would a ration of corn meal and corn stover be a desirable ration? This, too, since the corn is home-grown, would be cheap for the farmer; but, like the other, it is badly balanced, for it contains too much carbohydrate food and is therefore a wasteful ration. A badly balanced ration does harm in two ways: first, the milk flow of the cow is lessened by such a ration; second, the cow does not profitably use the food that she eats. The following table gives an excellent dairy ration for the farmer who has a silo. If he does not have a silo, some other food can be used in place of the ensilage. The table also shows what each food contains. As you grow older, it will pay you to study such tables most carefully. =============================================================== | DIGESTIBLE MATTER |---------------------------------- FEED STUFFS | Dry |Protein|Carbohydrates| Fat |matter| | | --------------------------------------------------------------- Cowpea hay = 15 pounds[1] | 13.50| 1.62 | 5.79 | .16 Corn stover = 10 pounds | 5.95| .17 | 3.24 | .07 Corn ensilage = 30 pounds | 6.27| .27 | 3.39 | .21 Cotton-seed meal = 2 pounds | 1.83| .74 | .33 | .24 --------------------------------------------------------------- Total = 57 pounds | 27.55| 2.80 | 12.75 | .68 =============================================================== [Footnote 1: Alfalfa or clover hay may take the place of cowpea hay.] =Care of the Cow.= As the cow is one of the best money-makers on the farm, she should, for this reason, if for no other, be comfortably housed, well fed and watered, and most kindly treated. In your thoughts for her well-being, bear the following directions in mind: 1. If you are not following a balanced ration, feed each day several different kinds of food. In this way you will be least likely to waste food. 2. Feed at regular hours. Cows, like people, thrive best when their lives are orderly. 3. Milk at regular hours.